Gate-latch.



W. G. HENKLE.

. GATE LATCH. APPLICATION man wur 29. I916- Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

WILLIARD GLENN HENKLE, 013 GARRISON, IOWA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1916. Serial. No. 112,118.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, WILLIARD G. Hnnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garrison, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is aspecification, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improved gate latches and has for primary object to providea very efficient, irable and inexpensive latching device for farm gates which may be readily applied to the ordinary gate of this character and suitably adjusted in the post so that the latching element will properly receiveand effectively lock the gate in its closed position It'is another and more particular object of the invention to provide a device for the above purpose embodying a threaded rod having spaced, parallel plates fixed upon one end, a pivoted forked locking plate mounted between said spaced plates, and spaced, vertically movable elements mounted upon said spaced plates to co-act with said lockin plate and prevent pivotal movement thereo With the above and other objects in view,

my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrange ment of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion oi a gate and gate post showing my improved locking device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of? Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the locking plate. 1

Referring in to the drawing, 5 designates a cylindrical rod which is flat-- tened at one of its ends and securely riveted, bolted, or otherwise fixed between the ends of the parallel, spaced plates 6 which project longitudinally with respectdo said rod. Upon the upper plate 6, a sheet metal plate 7 is secured, said sheet metal plate having a transversely disposed channel formed there- -,in, the open side of which is opposed to the plate 6. Each of the plates 6 is formed with spaced openihgs 8 and the to wall of the channel 7 is also provided wi h openings 9 coinciding with the respective openings 8 in the plate 6.

The outer ends of the plates 6 are also proopenings to receive a pivot bolt, l at 10, said bolt being disposed in an opening 11 formed in the lock- The inner endof this locking plate 12 is provided with an elongated notch or recess 13 and the outer end portion thereof is cut away or bifurcated to provideparallel longitudinallyprojecting arms 1 Locking bolts 15 are loosely mounted in the openings 9 in the top wall of the channel 8, and the lower ends of these bolts are reduced to loosely extend through the coinciding openings 8 in the platesfi. These bolts have threaded portions upon which the stop nuts 16 are engaged to limit the downward movement of the bolts through said openings. These nuts, by contacting with the top wall of the channel 7, also limit the upward movement of the bolts 15 through the openings 8 in the plates 6. When the bolts are pulled upwardly to this position, their lower ends are withdrawn entirely from the openings in the lower plate 6 and are disposed above the. plane of the locking plate 1.2 so that said plate may turn upon the pivot bolt 1]..

G designates the 'gate having an end post adapted to be received between the arms 14; of the locking plate. The rod 5 is preferably threaded throughout its length and nuts 1 Patented was. so, rain.

' ate 12 which extends between the the opposite sides of, the gate post P through which said rod is" disposed. It will be readily understood that by loosening these the rod may be shifted through the nuts, opening in the gate post and the lock plate 12 adjusted with respect to the gate.

In the operation of the device, when the gate is swung to its closed position the bolts 35 are shifted so that the plate 12 may be turned to receive the end bar of the gate between the arms 14 thereof, and when the gate is moved to its fully closed position the bolts 15 will drop by gravity through the recess 13 in the inner end of the locking plate and the openings 9 in the lower plate 6. Thus, the plate 12 is securely held against further turning movement and the gate retained in its closed position. By mounting the retaining orlocking ner above referred to, the gate cannot be opened by live stock, while at the same time these bolts may be readily lifted by a, person.

desiring to pass through the gate'so as to release the locking plate 12, whereby the gate can be swung to its open position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my improved gate lock will be clearly and fully understood. The device is very simple and durable in its construction and can be readily applied to the ordinary farm gate. When the gate post sags, the locking device can be easily adjusted therein with respect to the gate in the manner above explained, so that the gate may still be securely locked. The device as a whole consists of relatively few parts which are all of simple form, and it will, therefore, be appreciated that the invention can be produced at small manufacturing cost.

While'I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several features of the device, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of'considerable modification therein and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

' what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A locking device for spaced parallel plates, means for mounting said plates upon a gate post, a bifurcated locking plate pivotally mounted between said spaced plates and adapted to receive the end bar of a gate, gravity movable retaining means removably mounted upon said spaced plates and normally co-acting with said locking plate to hold the same against pivotal movement, and means for positively limiting the upward movement of said latter means to a position above the plane of said locking plate to permit of the pivotal gates including movement of the latter and the opening of the gate.

2. A locking device for gates including spaced, parallel plates, means for mounting said plates upon a gate post, a locking plate pivotally mounted between said spaced plates to operatively engage the end bar of a gate, a transversely disposed channel plate secured upon one of the spaced plates, said spaced plates having coinciding openings therein, said openings, said locking cessed to receive the end of normal plate being rethe bolt in the position thereof, whereby said plate is held against pivotal movement, and a stop nut on said bolt to-limit its upward movement to a position out of operative engagement with the locking plate, whereby the gate may be swung to an open position.

3. A locking device for gates including spaced, parallel plates, means rigidly fixed to said plates and spacing the same adjust ably mounted in the gate post, a bifurcated locking plate pivotally mounted between said spaced plates to receive the end bar of the gate, a transverse channel plate secured upon one of said spaced plates, said spaced plates and the channel plate having spaced coinciding openings therein, bolts vertically movable through said openings moving by gravity to their normal positions in operative engagement with the locking plate to hold the same against turning movement, and means on said bolts to limit their upward movement to an inoperative position, whereby said locking plate may be moved with respect to the spaced plates and the gate moved to an open position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILL'IARD GLENN HEN KLE.

Witnesses A. J. DONALD,

H. J. ROZEINA.

a bolt vertically movable through. 

